Donor agencies caught up in a massive scandal involving distribution of funds to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria

Four days ago, cnyakundi.com received the below email exposing fraudulent activities in the donor community.

We’ve been at the forefront of calling our international organisations giving donations to Kenya as fraudulent.

Read this for yourself.

To the Chair of GFATM Board and Executive Director GFATM

RE: Kenya GF Principal Recipient selection process marred with Injustices

We come to you with deep concern on the continued undermining of the Kenya Non-State PR selection. A section of our CSO colleagues have raised concerns on the decision to award Amref Kenya as PR for HIV, TB and Malaria. Whereas each KCM constituency deserves the right to dissent, the attention given to a select minority is disenfranchising the majority voices who have been reduced to bystanders and witnesses to toxic exchanges of emails, social media messages and letters.

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We write to you as the silent majority constituent of NGOs/CSOs and Private sector whose voices have not been accorded equal opportunity. Kenya has made significant progress in promoting country dialogue and engaging different constituencies in the management of Global Fund grants. These gains are at risk of being reversed because of vested interests and outright conflict of interest among those who shout the loudest.

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We take note that:

Kenya Coordinating Mechanism (KCM) issued Request for Proposal (RFP) on 14 April 2020 with a closing date of 6 May 2020. A total of 8 organizations (World Vision Kenya, KANCO, Amref, Youth Connect Consortium, LVCT Health, Kenya Red Cross Society, Health Strat and PS Kenya) expressed interest.
The evaluation was carried out by an Independent Review Panel appointed by KCM mainly drawn from the multilateral institution.
During administrative checks, 3 organizations (KANCO, Youth Connect Consortium and Health Strat) did not comply with mandatory requirements and were therefore eliminated.
On technical evaluation only 3 organizations (KRCS, AMREF and PS Kenya) meet minimum requirements to proceed to financial evaluation where Amref was ranked first for HIV and TB, and KRCS second; Amref was ranked first for Malaria and PS Kenya second
On evaluation of financial proposals, Amref was ranked top for HIV, TB and Malaria
The report of the IRP was submitted to KCM and Amref was awarded as Principal Recipient to manage HIV, TB and Malaria for the period July 2021 – 2024
Global Fund noted that ‘the technical evaluation process was detailed, fair and transparent’ and the country team have been consulted in every step of the Non state Principal recipient selection process
KRCS appealed against the award, independent appeal committees appointed by KCM reviewed the process and the award to Amref was sustained. It was also noted that Kenya Red had done a showdy job in their financial report since they submitted a report inconsistent between their hard and soft copy, this is worrisome yet not surprising since they have implemented Global fund for 10 years and are known to be very notorious for smart financial accounting, this has been noted even in their broader Business model where all Boma Hotels they run are now under Receivership
A section of CSOs have continued to reject and rubbish the decision of KCM despite having been involved in the development of RFP tender documents and actively participated in KCM meetings that deliberated on the PR selection, Adolescence,PLHIV and Key Populations especially men who have sex with men

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This appears to be driven by vested interests and NOT fidelity to ethics and professionalism. These are the facts:

Majority of the dissenting voices are KRCS sub-Recipients in the current GFATM implementation
KRCS varied Level of Efforts -LOE salaries for some members who are leading the dissenting voices, key to note is Peter Njane – ISHTAR Director also a member of Kenya Coordinating Mechanism who declined to declare conflict of interest despite being an implementing sub recipient under Kenya Red Cross ,he leads an organization that is implementing activities aimed at mitigating disease among Men who have sex with men
Some of these colleagues carry out consultancies with KRCS or SR, Maureen Murenga a Board member of the Communities Delegation to the Global Fund, is a great beneficiary of the Facilitations and Consultancies under Kenya Red Cross, she was paid handsomely for the Funding request support and development of treatment guidelines tool kit for PLHIVs, a key activity supported through Kenya Red Cross. It is common knowledge that she has tried severally to use her position to intimidate other KCM members, whom have since learnt of her dirty games with Kenya Red Cross, now KCM no longer takes her threats seriously since its public knowledge that she is John Ocheros mouth piece.

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It is common knowledge that Amref is seen as more stringent in managing its SRs hence the purported fears that Amref will bring sanity into the HIV grant that is full of favouritism and cronyism.
We are also dismayed by the position of Global Fund Kenya country team led by John Ochero, whom all Kenyans know of his dirty games he plays with the HIV PR Kenya Red Cross, especially Procurement where he is a big beneficiary with his wife being a key supplier. The Country Team which seems to favour KRCS and even tried on numerous KCM meetings to intimidate the PS Health who chairs the KCM,by threatening her that if she does not include KRCS as PR, then GF will withdraw its funding for Kenya. In the last KCM meeting, the KCM was very clear that Ochero can proceed to select its PR, and GF is at will to work with the MSMs and PLHIVs groups without further engaging the KCM. This would mean that this groups are funded independently without following due process through the KCM which oversees selection, implementation and oversight of all GFATM grants. Amref was ranked second to KRCS in the last GF FR selection in circumstances that were suspect. In fact, it is on record on a KCM meeting that Amref was leading but marks were altered to favour KRCS. Amref did not contest this injustice in 2017.
Amref has empowered many organizations in financial management and system strengthening shaping future self-dependent organizations.

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Its a criminal offence for the Country Team to rubbish a Country process that was undertaken by the KCM for the past 7 months with a clear cut winner,one queries what became of GFs value for money and push for efficiencies in this process,where by now the country team wants to impose a Desk review on continuing PR. The KCM undertook a final vote in August 2020 with 18 members recommending AMREF as sole PR for the 3 diseases,its important to note that the dissenting voices declined to approve the Kenya Funding Request.

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We urge Global Fund to reconsider its current position and trust a country process that has been tried and tested for several cycles of Global Fund grant application. We would also recommend that the Board Investigates John Ocheros interests in Kenya Red Cross.

The voice of the majority matters

with thanks

Civil Society Coalition on HIV,TB and Malaria

Mrs Mourine Juma

National Coordinator

Request for Proposal